Years go by...

I feel a bit cliche right now as I am thinking about the beginning of a new year and what that means. I feel unoriginal. HOWEVER, that is what is on my mind so take it or leave it...here are my thoughts.

25 years and 283 days ago-I was born

18 years and 195 days ago-I accepted Christ into my heart

14 years and 212 days ago- I was baptised

11 years and 323 days ago- My parents got divorced

8 years and 25 days ago- I started working with the junior high youth group at my church and have worked with students ever since

7 years and 212 days ago-My grandmother, Claretta Christensen, passed away after 60 1/2 years of marriage to my grandfather, 4 children, 14 grandchildren (not including in-laws), and 6 great grandchildren...now there are even more


6 years and 193 days ago-I took my first trip to the Czech Republic









5 years and 15 days ago- I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado and got to sit next to one of my absolute best friends and played tick tack toe as some boring guys spoke about who knows what

1 year and 360 days ago- I got married to the most amazing man I have ever known



1 year and 132 days ago- I graduated from Denver Seminary with my Masters Degree










1 day ago-I spent the day with my mom and my husband playing games, eating crab legs and artichokes, and celebrating that there is another year to look forward too!

And looking forward...

In 5 months- my Senior High seniors will be graduating and I will have to say goodbye to three of the most amazing girls I have ever worked with. There is only one other that compares and she is in school out of the country. I will miss these ladies.









In 8 months- one of my best guy friends will be getting married to the girl who is absolutely perfect for him

In 1 year and 4 months- I will have been at my current job for a full two years and will get three weeks of vacation...YIPPIEE

In 2 years- Aaron and I will hopefully be starting a family and have probably a very insane, but wonderful childIn 3 years and 7 months-we will have every last penny of every last loan paid off!!! Financial Freedom will be so great...maybe we could even be thinking about going to Czech for a few years at that point!

In 8 years and 5 days- Aaron and I will have been married for 10 years.

and the days and years roll by each holding beautiful and wonderful things and scary and hard things, and each second of all of it, God knows what he is doing. So beautiful!

Snow Days

There is nothing like waking up in the morning and seeing that the ground is covered in fresh, beautiful, powery snow. It is such a soft and gentle reminder to slow down, remember that each day is new, and that each moment we can make a fresh start, fresh tracks in life.


And I don't feel like there is anything right now that I want to cover up or need a fresh start with in the sense of something bad needs to be redeemed specifically, but even the idea that every day I get the choice to love Aaron more, to have more of a servant heart at work, to take a new picture that was never taken before...it is like a blank canvas waiting to be painted. Oh the idea of it is wonderful.

I remember as a kid when it would snow my brother and I took simple spray bottles and filled them up with colored water. We had bottles for red, yellow, and blue, and then sometimes we would get creative and make colors like teal, violet, or amber. We would take all these bottles, turn the spray setting to spout instead of spray and we would decorate the snow. While all the other yards were perfectly white, we would take our spray bottles and make our yard...well stand out to say the least. And the beautiful thing about it was that it would either melt or it would be covered by fresh snow every time. We were able to create master piece after master piece. Each one new and unique. Every time it snowed we had a fresh start, a blank canvas. And while sometimes our art was a little less desirable, sometimes it was absolutely beautiful.


At least for me, I believe that snow is meant to remind me to live completely each day, and let go each night. As it even says in Scripture...

Matthew 6
33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

May every day be a "snow day" where we embrace the kingdom and not worry about what will happen tomorrow until tomorrow becomes a new snow day.

Ahhhh

Ahhhh moments:

1. waking up to a fresh snow
2. Drinking a good, hot cup of coffee or Chai
3. Staying up late talking with friends
4. Watching Aaron talk with guys like Nate about comic books and stuff I can't hold a conversation with him about!
5. Stepping off the plane in Prague
6. Listening to Norah Jones while driving in the mountains
7. Eating at great mom and pop resturants like Jans in Buena Vista
8. Being behind the lens of a camera
9. Sitting at a pub with Georgey, Cilco, and Aaron
10. Laying on my white couch while it is raining and the french doors are open
11. Painting in my messy room
12. Writing ANYTHING
13. watching a student "get it"
14. Putting on warm socks on a cold winter day
15. Laying in the Hammock on a cool summer evening
16. Gardening with my husband
17. Picking grapes off our grape vine and eating them
18. Playing old school NES and eating corn dogs
19. Going on a long walk around the neighborhood
20. Giving gifts to people who I know will enjoy them
21. Investing in lives of leadership and letting them know how grateful I am for them
22. Watching Jadon and Jami play
23. Eating Swedish Meatballs and opening Christmas presents
24. Laying in bed and talking with my husband about his day
25. Reading something in the Bible and having it hit me in a whole new way

AHHH Pictures

In the Czech Republic under that Charles Bridge




In South Carolina's hills while it was drizzling

In North Carolina after a major rain storm

In Budapest on a Dinner/Boat Cruise

In the Czech Republic on a hike with Valdek, Kuba, and Marta

In Hawaii watcing the sunset and looking for the "green flash"

(Which we say, but it isn't really a flash)

Thanks to Laura for these two pictures!!! Man what I would give to live in Hawaii during moments like these. I am jealous of her!

A Sunset Laura saw on Thanksgiving

The same day!

Anticipation

Have you ever felt like you knew you were supposed to be doing something great with your life, but you didn't know when the greatness was going to come upon you? Oh the dreams I have. Oh these fantastic, facinating dreams that I have to do so many awesome things. As I laid in bed last night I was thinking about all of the things that I want to do, want to pursue, want to study, or just want to have as a dream job. Here is my list...

1. Work for a travel magazine and explore the world
2. Go back to school for photography
3. Go back to school for graphic design
4. Write a book
5. Work with the really affluent students and help them understand God's real love for them
6. Live in Czech for a few years
7. Be a mom
8. Learn to sail and take a trip up one of the American coasts
9. Go on a cruise to Alaska

So then the questions I pose...does greatness come upon us? Do we have to live for greatness? Do the dreams we want just come true or do we have to chase them? And I guess the real one I think very often is, will I recognize it when I am living in it?

I think so many times that I am focused on so many other things that I am unable to see what amazing things I have right in front of me and the greatness that God has given me in my life. Granted, right now my job is marginal, and sometimes rather boring. And if I focus on that I am unable to see that when I am not at work I am able to write, to paint, to work with students, to teach students, to do photography, and I may even be able to dabble in some graphic design and photography classes. And my work will also help Aaron and I to buy a Kayak at some point and also will allow us to get rid of debt in case we do want to go to Czech for a little while. So the question is, IS THIS THE GREATNESS I YEARN? And I just can't see it because my perspective is on the wrong thing? I work for an organization that works with countries in East Asia, my husband works for a church that goes to Czech and Ethiopia and the Ukraine. All of which I would be able to travel and not just be at some snooty resort, but I can actually work with people and love on people, which is really what it is about.

And while I would love a job that was maybe a bit different, this one is allowing me the energy to do so many extra things. And it would be nice to have it part time, but once again I am able to get money to do the things I love. It is interesting to me to think about all of these things that I desire to do, and when I get the right perspective, I think I am living in the dreams, living in the greatness, and I just don't allow myself to see it or embrace it. It's a pitty and a shame when I forget how to see the world and see my life because it makes all the difference in living out an ordinary life and a great life!


Here are some GREAT LIFE MOMENTS...


This is a picture of some surf boards in Hawaii

These are some students in the Czech Republic at an English camp in 2006

This is a photograph I was able to take when I was in North Carolina. It makes me think of childhood!

This is my husband and I being the toughest snowshoers anyone has ever seen!